Order-case for telegraph-operators



2 Shets-Sheet 1. `J. A. HUDSON. 'ORDER ASB POR TELEGRAPH OPERATORS.

Patented July 17, 1894.

VENTOR ATTORNEY (No Model.)

-Nof 523,312.-

(No Model.) zsheets-sheen 2 J. A. HUDSON. ORDER OASE POR TELEGRAPHOPERATORS. No. 523,312.

Patented Jul-y 1'7, 1894.

IN VENT 0R Maz/L/ ATTORNEY TN: Nonkwvsrens om moro-umu. wAsMINcnjou, D.c.

ATENT FFICEo JAMES ARTHUR HUDSON, OF BUENA VISTA, COLORADO.

ORDER-CASE FOR TELGRAPH-OPERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,312, dated July 17,1894.

Application filed January 8, 1894.

To all whom, it may. concern.-

Be it known` that I, JAMES ARTHUR HUD- SOrf, a citizenof the UnitedStates of America, residlng at Buena Vista, in the county of Chaffee andState 'of Colorado-,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOrder-Cases for Telegraph-Operators; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and en act description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs, and to thefigures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in ca ses for use by telegraphoperators in the railway service, and the object is to prevent mistakesby failing to give the red or order signal to approaching trains inaccordance with the orders of the train dispatcher. For instance, theoperator receives information from the dispatcher that a certain trainmust stop or meet another train at a point other than the regularstopping place. The operator also receives instructions at the same timeto give ordersv to this eect, to the men in charge of thetrain inquestion. This necessitates the giving of a signal, whereby the trainmenmay know/there are orders for them at the station in charge of saidoperator. Under the system heretofore in vogue, it is possible for thetelegrapher to copy the orders for the trainmen and forget to give theorder or stop signal, and if he-is llocated at a point not a regularstopping place for that train, the train may go on and a collisionoccur; or, if the station is a regular stopping place, the conductormight fail to ask for orders unless the order signal were displayed.

My improved case is designed to contain the blanks which the operatormust use in copying the orders. These blanks are always arranged withcarbon sheets between to eX- pedite the work, and prevent delay. Thecase is provided with several shelves numbered according to the copyingblanks they contain, since sometimes it is necessary to make but threecopies,=one for the conductor, one for the engineer, and one to beretained by the operator; while on other occasions, the number of copiesnecessary may be greater by Serial No. 496,033. (No model.)

reason of the changed circumstances or requirements.

The door of my improved case is normally closed, and is so connectedwith the arm employed in displaying the order signal, that the operatorcannot open the door without moving the arm and displaying the signal..In other words, the signal must be first displayed, and the orderscopied afterward, so that there canbe no possibility of mistake.

The invention consists further of the features, arrangements andcombinations hereinafter described and claimed,all of which will befully understood by 'reference to the accompanying drawings, in which isillustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the device. Fig. 2 isa front elevation, the track being partly broken away and sectionized toshow the anti-frictional rollers attached to the door. Fig. 3 is avertical section taken on the line -p-, Fig. l. Fig. Liis an underneathview of the door showing the rollers. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of thecase shown on a smaller scale, and in connection with the signaloperating mechanism.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts or elementsofthe mechanism in the several views, let the numeral 5 designate thevertical sides of the case having the bottom 6, the top 7 and theintermediate shelves 8.

The case is located between the top and bottom plates 9 and 10respectively, and the sides are provided with wings or iianges 5a,whereby the case may be attached to any suitable stationary support. y

The front of the case is provided with a door 12, curved or arc-shapedin horizontal section, and adapted to travel in the upper and lowercurved tracks 13 and 14. which receive the corresponding edges of thedoor. These tracks 13 and 14 are preferably formed of metal, and aremade fast to the top and bottom plates 9 and 10 respectively. The loweredge of the door rests upon rollers 15 which engage the bottom of thetrack and have horizontal axes supported in depending metal hangers 16made fastV to the door. The upper and lower edges of the door are bothprovided with rollers 17 having vertical axes.

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The thickness of the door is somewhat less than the diameters of therollers 17 whose peripheries engage the sides of the grooves formed inthe metal tracks, and thus reduce the friction to a minimum. The edgesof the door are preferably provided with metal plates or straps 12 toprevent the door from warping or changing its shape. The door isrecessed to receive the rollers 17 which are located between the metalplates 12 and the body of the door.

Centrally journaled in the top plate 9 above the case, is the verticalshaft 18 whose upper extremity is further journaled and supported in abox 19 made fast to the wall of the room, or other suitable stationarysupport 20. The upper extremity of this shaft is provided with a fastbevel gear 2l meshing with a similar gear made fast to one extremity ofa horizontal shaft 23 which passes through the outer wall of the roomand carries the order signal (not shown) which must be so located as tobe visible to men in charge of approaching trains. fast an arm 24located in suitable proximity to the top of plate 9 and provided with anangular arm 25 provided with a forked extremity 25 engaging a projectionl2c made fast to the door.l 12.

The arrangement of the signal operating mechanism, is such, withreference to the door, that when the latter is closed, the order signalis not displayed.

Now if the operator in charge of the station has received instructionsfrom the train dispatcher to give certain orders to the men in charge ofan approaching train, it will be necessary for him to open the door ofthe case to get his order blanks which are placed upon the shelves 8,which should be numbered to designate the number of the copying blankswhich they contain; but the door of the case can only be opened byshifting the arm 24 in such a direction as to give a partial rotation t0the vertical shaft 18, and a corresponding movement to the horizontalshaft 23, this last .named movement being sufficient to display theorder signal. Hence it results that the signal must be displayed beforethe orders can be copied, thus obviating the possibility of mistake. Thetop plate 9 is provided with pins or projections 9 which form stops forthe arm 24 and prevent its being thrown farther in either direction thanis necessary in the performance of its function, as heretofore To thelower part of shaft 18 is made" stated. The arm 24 is also provided witha locking device 2t adapted to enter apertures 9c formed in the plate 9when the arm is at its limit of movement in either direction. Thisfeature prevents the accidental movement of the arm when adjusted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationwith the operating arm of the signaling mechanism, of the stationarycase, a movable door suitably attached to the case, and means forconnecting the signal operating arm with the door, whereby the movementof the arm actuates the door, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the case having a door whose edges are providedwith anti-frictonal rollers, upper and lower grooved tracks to receivethe rollers, and the operating arm of the signaling mechanism suitablyconnected with the door, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the case provided with the door, curved orarc-shaped in horizontal section, of stationary grooved tracks adaptedto receive the upper and lower edges of the door, and the operating armof the signaling mechanism, said parts being suitably connected with thedoor, the parts being connected and arranged in such a manner that thedisplaying of the signal and the opening of the door are accomplishedsimultaneously, substantially as described.

4. The case provided with the door circular in cross-section, the upperand lower edges being provided with vertical rollers, the lower edgebeing further provided with horizontal rollers, in combination with thetracks grooved to receive the roller edges of the door, and theoperating arm of the signaling mechanism, said arm being suitablyconnected with the door, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the shaft and operating arm of the signalingmechanism, of the stationary order case, the movable door attached tosaid case, and an auxiliary arm connecting the door with the signaloperating arm, whereby the movement of the signaling arm actnates thedoor, substantially as described. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES ARTHUR HUDSON.

Witnesses:

Clins. E. DAWSON, F. H. JOHNSON.

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